Change is Good
by DarkRingMaster
Summary: Life had finally settled down again for Ari after he and his friends parted ways,but a sudden influx in powerful ghosts has the countryside set on edge. One night a dangerous ghost breaks into Ari's home,followed by Stan. Stan has come to the boy with an interesting proposition,one that includes a hunt for new evil kings-and a partnership with him forged with a marriage! StanxAri
1. Chapter 1: Disturbance

**It's been a bit since I've written anything for Okage, especially a shipping fic. I wanted to do a sequel setting type story, and I wanted it to include StanxAri, but with a real plot behind the romance stuff. I did my best to balance all genre elements, so I hope the story will be enjoyable. There will be some mature things later on, but I will be posting that alternative chapter on ao3 once I'm able to set that account up. But for now, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Disturbance**

The sun filtered lazily through the trees, casting spotty shadows across the dirt roads of Tenel. The air was hot and heavy, hazy with humidity that threatened an unseen storm upon the sleepy village. It had been two years, two long years since Ari had finished his strange adventure to restore the powers of the Evil Shadow King, Lord Stanley Hihat Trinidad XIV, or Stan as he preferred to be called. After the defeat of Beiloune and the regaining of Stan's true form, everyone in the group had parted ways.

On this particular summer day, our story begins. Our hero remains the same as always. Quiet, sarcastic at times, but still overshadowed. Ari had changed a bit from his journey, however. He tended to be a bit more outspoken when he could (this of course fell on deaf ears when it pertained to his family). He often wondered about his comrades and their whereabouts. Last he heard, Big Bull had returned to his hometown. Rosalyn was no doubt still chasing Stan to the ends of the earth. Kisling had settled somewhere near Madril, opening a little science shop in the process. Linda and Epros left together with the circus, their location (and whether Epros ever returned Linda's affections) a mystery. And then there was Stan...no telling where the demon king would be. Any word that would come in the form of a letter had stopped months ago.

Ari hadn't been particularly worried, just...it was nice to hear from his former master every now and then. It was a reassuring feeling knowing what he was up to.

The blade of grass that Ari had been twirling between his fingers was abruptly plucked as the thought crossed the boy's mind. He missed Stan? That idiotic, floppy, flat-faced, asshole of a shadow that bossed him around? As if!

"I don't miss him that much..."

"Ari!"

A sudden voice from behind the teen caused him to, not-so-gracefully, turn in his seated position. Annie was walking towards him down the grassy hill.

"Mom has dinner ready, better hurry up too!"

"Alright, I'm on my way, hold on." Ari stood, brushing dirt and grass blades from his pants.

The sun still remained high in the sky above, stretching the siblings' shadows long and thin as they trudged their way up the hill towards home...

* * *

"It's been too quiet around here!"

The sudden exclamation from the family's patriarch silenced the dinner table.

"Dad, what are you talking about?," Annie broke the silence.

"Just...this!," their father waved dramatically around. "This heartwarming, family wholesomeness! It's so boring!" He slumped back into his chair and crossed his arms, a childish pout on his face.

"Dear, I think our family has had enough excitement for a lifetime." Their mother smiled at Ari and Annie. Ari could have sworn his face turned as pink as his sister's shadow.

"I don't know, mom. Without Stan and the others around, it is a little boring. Right, Ari?" Annie grinned at him.

"S-Shut up, Annie!"

Ari's family chuckled as they continued their dinner. The boy's blush grew as he poked at his carrots with his fork. Was life really that boring without the rest of his friends there? Although, seeing as how he had been wondering about their whereabouts, maybe it was...Maybe excitement every now and then hadn't been so bad...

 _ **CRASH**_

Just as the thought had entered into Ari's mind, the alarming sound from the foyer caused the boy and his family to jump violently, gasps intermingling with the mysterious noises. With a shout of "Finally!" from his father, Ari and the others scrambled out of the dining room and through the kitchen into the foyer. Sparkling glass from the overhead window littered the floor. And standing in the middle of it, his normally slicked back hair messy in the fresh wind filtering in, was none other than Stan.

Little had changed about the Evil Shadow King, minus his mussed up hair. His glare remained focused in the corner of the room by the stairs. After the first initial shock of seeing Stan glaring in their foyer, the family's eyes followed the path of his stare. A large ghost hovered in the corner. Its aura threatened the beginnings of a dangerous transformation, it lumpy body pulsing and rippling more with each passing minute.

Stan, his glare never leaving the ghost, finally spoke.

"Glad you could finally join me, slave."

"Stan! What...what's going on here?"

"Small talk later. Why don't you put those scrawny legs of yours to good use and grab that Gear Sword of yours?"

Ari stood confused for a moment. Stan needed his help? Defeating a ghost? He supposed in its defense, the ghost was huge, but still...

"That was a command, not a philosophical quandary! Now, hurry up!"

Ari snapped out of his stupor and swung himself around the banister, sprinting up the stairs. To his surprise, the ghost turned, ready to pursue.

"Hey! Mashed potato brains! I'm your opponent right now! Wouldn't you rather have the honor of losing to the Great Evil King Stan?!"

A gurgling sound bubbled up from somewhere within the ghost as it hovered for a moment. It then immediately followed after Ari up the stairs. Stan cursed and ran after the ghost.

Ari had reached his door by this point, flinging it open and locking it behind him. Already he could hear crashes and shouts from Stan in the hallway beyond. Fighting down panic, the boy climbed on to his bed and lifted his sword from its shelf on his wall. A loud shout from outside caused Ari to trip over his covers and fall backwards on to the floor, the sword sheath clutched to his chest. A terrifying crash shook the house, causing Ari's heart to jump into his throat. He dashed from his room, throwing the sword scabbard off somewhere in the process.

Ari skidded to a stop at the top of the stairs. At some point in time while he had been in his room, Stan was thrown from the top floor into the front corner of the house. He was half buried in rubble, and a constant stream of curses escaped from the demon's mouth as he struggled to get back up. The ghost had transformed into a spiny, bug-like creature Ari had never seen anything like it in their previous adventure. Gathering his courage, the boy climbed onto the stair railing, and with all his strength, he jumped. With a sharp cry, Ari brought down his Gear Sword and sliced the creature down through its middle surprisingly easily. The creature vanished in a cloud of smoke after it split. Ari's momentum sent him crashing into Stan, who caught him in his arms and gave a grunt of discomfort as he crashed back into the rubble.

The dust settled and the family surveyed the damage to their home. One broken window, a destroyed hallway, and a hole in the wall from Stan's impact. Although Ari's father was elated with joy at the return of some excitement, it was safe to say Ari's mother did not share in that excitement...

* * *

Ari pushed himself up from the position he had landed in. He felt rubble tumble from his back. However, something warm that was wrapped around his shoulders held him down. The surface beneath his hands was also warm. After giving a little cough, Ari cracked open his eyes. He found that his eyes met with the yellow orbs belonging to Stan. The Shadow King gave him a smirk.

"Hello there, slave."

Ari's face flushed as he pushed himself out of Stan's embrace, rolling off to the side.

"Ow! Careful, slave! I did just collide with your wall!"

"S-Sorry...h-hey! Wait a minute! What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be...I dunno... _off conquering the world_ or something?"

"Well, about that...," Stan began as he sat up and brushed the dust off of his suit. "I need your assistance."


	2. Chapter 2: News of the World

**Chapter 2: News of the World**

"New evil kings? How is that possible? You've regained all your powers back from them!"

"Tell me about it...you don't think I find this annoying? It's pissing me off! And because of all these new kings, ghosts have reappeared, and they're strong little buggers!"

Ari ducked as Stan swung his arms dramatically around as he ranted.

"But...if you have your powers back, then where did these new kings get theirs?"

Stan was quiet before he continued, "I've spent some time studying up on the legend about King Gohma, my previous incarnation, at the World Library. I had hoped there may have been a similar event like this before when he was living." A tired look crossed Stan's face. "It seems there's more to this role than meets the eye..."

"That's right...you're now picking up where Gohma left off, just like Rosalyn was picking up where the Hero Hopkins left off."

Stan stiffened at hearing the heroine's name, but continued anyway.

"Right...well, it seems Gohma wasn't alone in his later conquests near the end of his reign of terror. This new source of power for the new evil kings isn't mine...it's for some...partner..."

Ari stared. "Partner?"

As if on cue, a dark aura domed up from the ground. It swirled away, leaving James, Stan's ghostly butler, behind.

"Yes, servant Ari! And may I say, it is a pleasure to see you again!," James gave a little bow. "As it may seem, Gohma had a demonic partner, who also seemed to be a lover of sorts, at least that's what we were able to interpret from the text." James looked to Stan, who gave a nod. James continued on, "This partner had their own powers, and it helped spread terror throughout the land, at least until this person disappeared shortly before the defeat of Gohma. Truly evil indeed! The thing is, we didn't know of the existence of this partner until recently! They came much before my time, you understand."

"So...you're basically looking for a wife?," Ari asked.

"Husband, in my case."

"Hus...husband? I-I didn't know you were into...never mind. My guess is, you want me to join you on a quest to find this demonic partner?"

"If that were the case, the quest would be over now." Stan grinned.

Ari found himself staring again. "What do you mean?," he asked cautiously.

"Ari...," Stan began as he glanced the boy up and down. "We've known each other for how long?"

"Umm...roughly over two years now, I suppose?"

"Right...and I've been thinking...I think it's time we... _deepened_ our friendship."

"I wouldn't call it a friendship..."

"Silence, slave. So, what will it be?"

"Depends on what you mean. What is 'it'?"

Stan was uncharacteristically silent for a moment. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Not...not really..."

"URGH! You humans must always have things spelled out for you! Fine, I'll do it your way!"

The Evil King's face reddened considerably as he kneeled down on one knee, pulling from his pocket a tiny ring box. Stan thrust the box outwards towards Ari and opened it, revealing a golden ring with a band of obsidian in its center.

"Ari, I'm giving you the great honor of marrying me, the Great Evil King Stanley Hihat Trinidad XIV."

Silence filled the room. The first sounds heard were the squeals of delight from Ari's mother and Annie. The boy stared at the ring, and then at Stan, his mouth agape. Somewhere in the back of his frozen mind, he registered his father saying something along the lines of "Now that's an all new type of adventure there."

"Speechless, boy? I know it must have left you in a joyous state, and the idea of marrying at the young age of eighteen must sound overwhelmingly exciting, but your acceptance would be most appreciated," Stan mused.

Ari continued to stare, that is until he began to tilt backwards into a dead faint. The last thing he heard before blacking out was the gasps of his family and a surprised "Ari!" from Stan.

A cold sensation on his forehead caused Ari to stir with a groan. Without opening his eyes, he lifted his hand to meet the cool object, discovering that it was a damp washcloth. Another groan forced its way out of Ari's throat as he finally cracked his heavy eyelids open, only to be met with golden orbs staring back.

"S-Stan?!," Ari gasped, sounding much louder than he meant to.

"Was it that much of a shock, slave?"

"Uh...well yes. M-Marriage usually means love and stuff like that. I didn't take you for that type...and to spring that on me after two years apart, too!"

"Peh...just because I'm the Shadow King, you instantly assume I'm incapable of such emotions?"

"Yes," Ari said bluntly.

A mild look of offense crossed Stan's features, but it was quickly replaced with his usual glare.

"Just because I am an 'evil' king does not mean I cannot feel positive emotions! I've been joyous in front of you, for crying out loud!"

"You laughed joyously at the thought of the world bowing at your feet..."

"Because it made me happy! Honestly, Ari!"

"Stan...that's a lot different than marital love...and it just doesn't sound very evil of you to love in the first place..."

The Evil King sighed heavily through his nose. Ari could visualize the man's small reserve of patience draining from him.

"Why me, anyway?," Ari began, hoping that if Stan would clarify more, things would make more sense and Stan's annoyance would be waived.

"Think about it, slave. Your shadow has been the one that's been the most compatible with me. I figured that you would be the perfect partner for me as well!"

"Wait...you don't even know if I'm the reincarnated partner? You just guessed?"

"Well yeah...but who else could it be but you?"

"Stan...it could be anyone...I'm not even a demon..."

The man was silent. Obviously this possibility had not crossed his mind. That was so like Stan. He had probably stressed and worried over the idea until he had gotten so excited that all rational thought about it had never surfaced.

Ari sighed, imagining he would later regret what he would say next.

"Look...if you want, I can travel around with you until you find this person."

Stan, for the first time Ari had ever seen, had a visibly disappointed, almost sad look. Had the Evil King really been that excited about the whole thing?

"...Or until we find a more definitive sign that I'm the one. And then I'll consider it."

A smirk spread over Stan's face. "Of course you're the one! And I'll prove it to you!," he said, slapping Ari on the back.

"So, will you wear this? Because I guarantee that you'll fall for me eventually." Stan held the ring box out to Ari.

The boy stared, his face heating up all over again.

"How about I wear it on a chain for now? Just until we're sure."

Satisfied with Ari's answer, Stan grinned widely.

"Perfect! Then get your things packed, slave! We leave immediately!"

"N-Now? Where are we going?"

"I wondered when you would ask that! Of course we'll be exploring what territories I've already conquered, but we must track down the new evil kings! That power will become yours! Er...or whoever my partner is..."

"Hang on, let me get this straight...if I am to become your partner, what would happen to me if I received these powers?"

"Why, you'd become like me! An all-powerful demon! An Evil K-...no, wait...a prince. An Evil Prince!"

Ari could have sworn he was about to faint again.

* * *

The wedding band hung heavily on the chain that Annie had given to Ari. He stared at it in the hallway mirror. He had been fighting off the urge to smile for a while now. He so badly wanted to feel that this whole situation was wrong, but that wasn't the case. Once the initial shock of having Stan propose to him had worn off, Ari began to think that maybe this wouldn't be so bad. But still, the whole thing with gaining powers left him feeling anxious. A little time to sort out his feelings and think about it wouldn't hurt. This was love he was talking about, and for a few months, he swore he loved Marlene, at least up until Stan chased her away during his first (and only) impromptu visit. After that, he had left for two years. A little bit of patience as revenge would be good for the Evil King.

"Slave, are you ready? There's no time to loiter about! We have evil kings to track down!," Stan poked his head around from the outside of the front door. So much for patience. The Evil King had been pacing on the front porch for the past half hour. Ari had to laugh to himself. His master's enthusiasm was all too obvious.

"I'm ready, calm down."

"I give the orders here, slave. You can't tell me what to do."

"Even if I do become your 'prince'?"

"...Yes, even then. You should always obey your King. With that said, let's get going!"

"Eager, aren't you?"

"Of course! I shall prove that you're mine!"

Ari joined the blond man on the porch, his family gathering in the hallway to say their farewells.

"Do you even have true feelings for me, Stan? You've never really made that obvious before..."

"That should be obvious to you, boy."

"Um...I just said that it never was."

"Then you'll just have to watch me more, won't you?"

Was that a bad attempt at flirting? Or just Stan's egotistical personality? Ari decided on his personality. Come to think of it, the whole thing was strange to Ari. Stan had never been so attracted to him before. Sure, the Shadow King had showed up at his door shortly after their first adventure, but the draw of world conquest had put an end to that fairly quickly. It couldn't have really meant anything special. Perhaps in the time they had been sending each other letters over those two years apart, Stan had time to figure things out more than he himself had?

Ari shook his head. Doubt was crawling uncomfortably up into his stomach. Was it really that easy? Could he develop feelings for Stan just like that, from sending letters? Sure, his heart may have raced a little bit when he saw his master for the first time after so long, and maybe he had been blushing ever since...but...

Dammit, there was something there, something starting to sprout and develop in the boy. Ari had to make sure, no way was he going to dive headfirst into this. Besides, what if it did turn out that he wasn't the partner Stan had been destined to? The thought made his heart sink.

"Ari? You ready?"

"Huh? O-Oh, yeah."

Ari's family waved as he and Stan started off down the dirt road leading away from the house.

"Have a good time, son!," his father called.

"Bring back something cool, okay?," Annie added.

"Annie dear, Ari may not return for good if he marries Stanley. But you better come visit, you hear, young man?!"

"Yes mom, I will."

"And make sure you use protection with Stan! Just in case!"

"MOM!"

And thus, the story of the overshadowed boy and his adventures with the Evil King continued.


	3. Chapter 3: Signs

**Chapter 3: Signs**

"Why you wanted to leave after dark is beyond me...it's dangerous out here if there are ghosts like that last one appearing."

"No complaining. With me here, you have nothing to worry about! Besides, the sooner we left, the better."

Ari groaned. This had the potential to be a nightmare. The full moon was overhead now, casting soft, silver light over the land. The shadows from everything seemed amplified, even from the grass blades.

"Pretty impressive, isn't it? I can stretch and darken shadows, if I so wish. Makes for an eery landscape, doesn't it?," Stan puffed out his chest.

"You're doing that? I shouldn't be too surprised." Ari smiled.

"With those shadows looking so threatening, nothing will dare approach us!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course!"

Ari stifled a laugh. While the shadows were much darker and more intimidating, Ari did feel protected by them.

They continued on their way, stopping on occasion whenever one of them pointed out an interestingly timed shadow or sight. From time to time, Ari caught himself watching Stan's broad shoulders and tall back. He still found it hard sometimes to associate the powerful man before him as the goofy, floppy shadow that he used to be.

They walked on and on, until Ari's head began nodding and his feet were tripping over each other.

"Hmm? Should we stop already?," Stan turned and asked.

Ari yawned and nodded slowly. Stan glanced at the horizon stretching in front of him.

"Madril is the closest to us. Besides, we're not entirely sure where we're going to find these new evil kings. This is a good chance to see if we can eavesdrop on some people." Stan smirked.

"And stay at the inn?"

"Of course! I'll make sure you're well taken care of! Think you can hold out until then?"

"Yes, but...you're being nicer than usual, Stan...it's weird."

"W-Wha? I-I'm not! I'm still completely evil! But as my soon-to-be prince, you will automatically be treated as such!"

"You'd treat me worse if I wasn't?"

"Er...n-no! That's not what I meant! You're tricking me, slave!"

"Heh...you're all flustered." Ari stifled another yawn.

"Alright, let's get you to an inn! We'll research information tomorrow morning. No one out at this time, anyway."

Ari stumbled into Stan's back. The Evil King grinned and took Ari's hand, leading him down the path.

Madril's few lights twinkled in the distance. Just a bit further, a bit further and Ari could rest. The gates of the town finally loomed up in front of them, the giant gears parting to open the way. The town was dark and silent with no one outside. The clock in the town center read just a little bit before two o' clock in the morning.

Ari's knees buckled and he tripped, only to be caught by his arm by Stan. The jolt caused a momentary rush of adrenaline, snapping the boy into alertness.

"Do I need to carry you to the inn now?" Stan's hand was firm around Ari's arm.

"No, I'm okay!," Ari stammered, regaining his composure. "It's just right across the center any-...huh?"

The inn was indeed right where it normally had been, but the windows were dark, and the door boarded up. Ari and Stan exchanged glances before approaching the door. A tiny sign simply stating "closed" hung from a nail on one of the boards.

"That's a little strange, it was doing fine the last time we were here."

"That's business for you, slave! Either barely struggling or choking out others in the same area!," Stan laughed.

"Don't you find it even the slightest bit weird?"

"Not at all, but why do you ask?"

"It was the only inn here...surely it had enough customers..."

"Doesn't look like it's the only inn anymore, though...," Stan pointed to an alleyway across from the inn. A bright light shone from a street at the end of the alley. A sign fixed to the wall in the alleyway read "lodgings".

"I see...," an evil grin spread on the Shadow King's face. "Once again greed claims another business and forces it to close. I can feel evil brewing in this town once again."

"This is a little different than an evil king though. I guess we don't have much of a choice. Let's go."

The alleyway was much more narrow than they first anticipated. Stan stepped in slowly, almost having to hug the wall. He took Ari's hand and began leading him through the passage, growling any time his chest or knees bumped against the wall. Ari had a much easier time with the alley, only having to twist sideways in a few places.

"Putting it in such an inaccessible place is beyond me...," Stan grumbled, finally free of the tight alleyway.

Ari followed behind, trying his best not to laugh at the dirt on Stan's jacket. Sure enough, a large inn was nestled at the back of three buildings, which formed a box-like enclosure. Unless there was an entrance through one of the twisted, towering buildings, the alley was the only entrance.

Stan brushed at his dusty sleeves, looking the place up and down.

"Not bad...location sucks though."

"Was this place even here last time?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm merging with your shadow again before we leave through that crack in the wall. Good thing it's only for one night."

"Can you hear that? There's so many voices coming from inside. It must be really busy."

Stan's ears perked up and he nodded.

"Maybe there's more to this place than meets the eye."

"Alright, let's go check it out."

"That's my slave! Starting to think more like me!"

"As if, now come on."

Ari started towards the noisy and bright inn with Stan in tow. As they neared it, warmth could be felt from the building and raucous laughter erupted from the windows. Taking another glance at each other, Ari reached for the door and opened it.

A warm gust of air enveloped them and they stepped inside. They were met by a currently unoccupied front desk, the surface of it embellished with gears of multiple sizes. To the right they could see what seemed to be a bar, with stairs leading to the second floor in the far corner. The bar was packed with Madril's residents, mainly men, but a few women mingled in. All were cheery and welcoming, although that could be contributed to intoxication. Surprisingly enough, residents from both the upper and lower level or Madril were socializing.

An older man tending to the bar counter caught sight of Stan and Ari as they entered and rushed to the front desk.

"Welcome to Madril's newest inn! Traveling, are we?"

Ari nodded while Stan leaned across the desk, stating, "And we would like a room for the night."

"At the moment all of our rooms only have a double bed. We'll be upgrading soon to meet the demands of travelers like yourselves, but you must understand we're still in the renovation process. I hope this is alright?"

"Perfect! Isn't it, Ari?" Stan nudged the boy with his arm. The man gave them a strange look, which caused Ari to turn even redder than he already was.

"Alright, I'll just need you to sign this ledger here, and your room will be the third door on the left."

Ari dug out the right amount of sukel while Stan took the key and wrapped his free arm around Ari's shoulders, leading him through the crowded bar. Someone whistled as they passed. Ari thought he would die of embarrassment. Stan, however, couldn't have looked any prouder.

"Feel free to come down and join us after you've settled in!," the barkeep called after them as they began to ascend the staircase.

"Why did you have to do that?," Ari whined.

"Because you are mine, and everyone will know it."

"I'm not yours yet."

"You said 'yet'," Stan grinned.

"You know what I mean. Now everyone will be staring at us!"

"Let them stare! Soon they will know better than to mess with anyone associated with me!"

With this, Stan unlocked the door and escorted Ari inside.

"Alright, my slave, hop in the bed," Stan unfastened his jacket.

"You're not up to anything, are you?"

"Eager, boy? No no, nothing like that. I'm thinking I need to rest an hour or two as well. Your mind certainly jumps to interesting conclusions when you're tired." Stan pulled back the covers and patted the bed. Ari sighed, but removed his vest and belt. He was too tired to think of a comeback to Stan's statement.

The boy kicked off his shoes and climbed into the soft bed. Stan climbed in next to him, upsetting Ari's balance with the added weight. Ari fell backwards onto his pillow as Stan pulled up the blankets.

"I'll be up in an hour or two, then I'll head downstairs to gather some information. People are always more willing to talk when they're drunk." Stan grinned.

"Will you be alright on that little sleep?" Ari realized that he had never seen Stan even sleep before, since the blond man had left immediately after regaining his form.

"I'm an Evil King, sleep is not a high priority. I could run off of five minutes if I had to." Stan settled himself on the pillows.

Ari shrugged and nestled down into the blankets, facing towards the wall. Stan slid down next to him, turning the lamp off in the process. Ari felt the man's warmth near his back. His foot brushed Stan's and he tucked his knees up to his chest.

"Relax, Ari...I told you I wasn't going to do anything...," Stan drawled, sleepiness beginning to show in his voice.

Ari relaxed his legs, once again brushing his foot against Stan's foot. He fought the reflex to jerk his foot away, but his heart continued to race. One thing was certain, sleep would not come easy that night.

* * *

Shortly after the town's clock had struck five, Stan stirred. He lay blinking in the dark and yawned, stretching his stiff muscles. Looking to his right, he saw Ari was still asleep, but was now facing him. Stan grinned and resisted the urge to brush Ari's hair from his face. The emotions the Evil King had been feeling for the boy were new and complex, but he vowed to himself that he could convince Ari that he could love, and that being loved by someone such as himself would be amazing.

Stan carefully climbed out of the bed and pulled his jacket on. Now that it was early morning with the sun not even risen yet, hopefully a one-on-one talk with the innkeeper would be possible. So naturally Stan was surprised when he came downstairs to find the bar still as active as it was around two o' clock. Some of the patrons, if not all of them, were there from before. They cheerfully greeted Stan as he strode towards the bar, extending invitations to have him at their table.

 _'Perhaps news of my conquests have yet to reach this part of the world,'_ Stan thought as he turned down a third invitation. ' _Otherwise they would be shaking in fear!'_

Stan selected a stool at the bar counter situated away from everyone, at least as much as he could in the crowded room. The innkeeper took notice of him and approached.

"So, what brings you and your young friend here?"

"I'm glad you asked. Actually...we're on a search for the rumored new evil kings. Perhaps you've heard something about them?"

The man's face paled, but he didn't seem too concerned.

"We haven't had anything like that since the Sewer Evil King. Come to think of it, didn't we have that Teen Idol Evil King too? We definitely don't need anymore though, good riddance! The two heroes that drove them away a few years ago have our thanks! Or was it three heroes the second time?"

Stan stiffened. He realized he had been a shadow at the time, but how dare they not recognize his part in that! Not that he was a hero or anything.

The barkeep noticed Stan's sour expression. Deciding to change the subject, the old man grabbed a glass and poured a dark red liquid into it. He set it down in front of Stan.

"How did you and your companion enjoy the inn last night?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have the money for this...," Stan eyed the drink The mystery glass looked expensive.

"Don't worry, my friend! The first glass is on the house! But we'll charge after that. Feel free to take a glass up to your companion too!"

"He's a few years too young to be drinking yet," the Evil King laughed as he took a hesitant sip. He struggled not to choke on it and spit it out immediately. It was sickeningly sweet, with hardly a hint of alcohol in it. No wonder the residents were in the bar so long, it must have taken a long time just to feel tipsy! Stan pushed away the drink.

"Nothing strange has been going on anywhere near here?"

"Hmm...nope, nothing at all."

Stan raised an eyebrow. No strange occurrences at all? Even though the countryside was crawling with ghosts? The peace currently resting over Madril seemed too peaceful...

* * *

Ari stretched as he opened his eyes. Although still tired, he felt considerably more rested than when they had arrived. He then noticed that Stan wasn't next to him. Ari glanced around for a clock, discovering it was just after six thirty. Just when Ari began wondering if he should go downstairs to search for the Evil King, Stan burst through the door, giggling slightly when it bounced back towards him. Ari stared in disbelief as the demon closed the door with his foot and stumbled towards the bed. Had he been drinking?! Stan fell forward into the covers with a grunt and met eyes with Ari, who continued to stare incredulously.

"Stan, did you go downstairs and drink? What happened to gathering information?"

"Bu' Ari, I only had a sip, I swrrr...," Stan slurred, doing his best to concentrate on the boy's face. "It jus' hit me outta nowhere!"

"Yeah right...I didn't take you for that type...should have guessed though. I'll go down myself...," Ari began to get up, only to find himself being pushed back against his pillow by powerful arms.

Stan swayed over him, pinning him down by his shoulders. The demon's strength was overwhelming. His face was so close that Ari could smell the sweet alcohol on his breath. The smell disappeared and was replaced by another overwhelming sensation, this time warmth. Stan's lips were pressed against Ari's, firm yet gentle. The boy's eyes widened and he gave a yelp of surprise in the back of his throat. The yelp quickly turned into a gasp when he found Stan's hand had snaked its way up his shirt.

"Wa-Wait, Stan! What happened to not doing anythi-ah!"

Stan' hand had brushed over a particularly sensitive spot along Ari's sternum, causing the young man to shiver. Stan's mouth had now found its way to Ari's throat. In his just awakened state, it was so tempting to slide his eyes closed and let Stan sweep him away in his pace. Ari let out a sigh...

And just as soon as it had started, it ended. Stan swayed a bit more and rolled off to Ari's side, fast asleep. The boy blinked a few times, suddenly very aware of the heat in his face and his heavy breathing. The heat intensified as anger built up in Ari's chest, tears stinging his eyes. The sweet taste of Stan still filling his mouth, the boy turned to him.

"Stan, you stupid, idiotic, drunkard of an evil king! Of all the things you could be stupid enough to do, I never expected anything like th-"

A sudden dizziness swept over Ari, blacking his vision out at an alarming rate. His building panic quickly died as he slipped down next to Stan, passing out.

* * *

A strange sound was the first thing Ari noticed cutting into his sleep. He very badly wanted to block out the rhythmic sound, but it was steadily growing louder. After a particularly loud slapping sound, Ari's eyes shot open. His head felt groggy and heavy, his eyes barely wanting to stay open. The boy made a move to rub at his forehead, only to discover his wrists were tied together with rough rope. Fear gripped his chest, discovering his ankle were also bound in the same fashion.

Ari sat and tried to calm his breathing, taking the chance to examine his surroundings. The room he was in was dim with only a little light filtering in. Large barrels laying on their sides in front of him turned out to be the source of the repetitive sound. A dark red liquid was dripping slowly from the bottom end of the barrel, splashing lightly into a small puddle on the dirt floor. The source of the light came from holes drilled into the wall through which the barrel's taps had been fixed through. It appeared to be a backroom of the inn, somewhere behind the bar.

 _Stan..._

Ari darted his eyes around the room, finding Stan's form to his left. His master seemed to be in the same state he was in. At the moment, Stan still seemed to be asleep, his head bowed to his chest. Maybe he really wasn't drunk this morning. But what has happened then? Was it a spell of some kind? Just as Ari pondered this, a door at the far end on the room opened, blinding him temporarily.

"Awake now?"

The voice belonged to the innkeeper. His face was visibly distressed as he wrung his hands, but he made no move to step closer to the pair.

"Are you the one that tied us up?," Ari accused, a fierce glare replacing his confused expression.

"W-Well, I mean...I did, but...it-it wasn't my choice!," the man stammered. "The evil king, he...he ordered it!"

"And here I thought you said there wasn't one in the town. What a dirty liar you are." Stan lifted his head, a demonic smile spread across his face. The mere sight of it sent a strange chill down Ari's spine.

"Care to explain why you've lied to the Great Evil King?"

"Y-You're Stan?! I knew I shouldn't have taken this job! Please spare me, my boss ordered me to!"

Ari swore he saw Stan's chest swell with some sort of egotistic pride.

"I'll spare you...slightly. Just tell me who your boss is, and pending on your answer, I'll decide your fate."

"I-I can't tell you that, he'll-"

The air began to crackle dangerously. Any light that dared to show through faded away, with the only thing still visible in the room being the glow from Stan's eyes. The molten gold flashed as he spoke.

"Whatever your boss threatened you with, it is nothing compared to what I can do."

The man gulped, visibly weighing his options. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he spoke.

"My boss...the evil king currently residing in this town, was responsible for monopolizing the business off the inn and taverns...he wants the townspeople all gathered here in one place."

"And why is that?," Stan growled.

"I believe I can answer better than this lowly minion."

The innkeeper's shadow stretched as a taller figure stepped behind him in the doorway.


	4. Chapter 4: The Mixing Evil King

**Chapter 4: The Mixing Evil King**

A tall, lean man with flowing gray robes and mousy brown, long hair stepped gracefully into the room. A cat-like grin spread across his face at the sight of Stan and Ari.

"Welcome to the new Madril Inn! I expect that your stay was to your liking?"

"Cut the crap, who are you and what do you plan to do to this town?," Ari finally spat out. Stan gave him a short surprised glance.

"Oh? A fiery one, aren't you? Surprising, if I recall, you're the overshadowed deviant, aren't you?"

Ari's face reddened, but Stan was the surprised one.

"Wait, why are you referring Ari to his old classification status?"

"Hmm?," the man tilted his head. "Don't you know? This story isn't over, not for you two. While the world might be going on as usual, you deviants just had to activate a new plot."

"Activate a new plot?! What are you talking about, you suckling?!," Stan bellowed.

"Ah-uh, address me as an evil king." The man wagged his finger. "And you...," the evil king pointed at Stan. "You activated this new plot the moment you opened that book in the World Library."

"That's...I...," Stan stammered, then fell silent.

"That's right. And all of the other evil kings along with myself know what you're up to. You're gathering power for that boy to make him into a powerful lackey, aren't you? If you ever lost your powers again, you'd need some kind of power source, wouldn't you?"

Ari's eyes widened. Stan saw his expression, the demon's face growing red in his building rage.

"That is NOT why I'm collecting power! It's none of your business anyway! Just wait until I get my hands on you!"

"Well that's the thing...you won't. Remember? Your hands are bound. You won't be doing _anything_ to me. Especially since you drank my special concoction. I hope you enjoyed that?"

"Stan...," Ari's eyes were widening in fear now.

"I had a sip. A SIP. It was hard to stomach something so sweet. What the hell was that, anyway?"

"That was a special creation of my own. It's got this whole town enraptured." The man grinned. "And soon you two will be as well. You see, I can create whatever I want as long as I have two things to mix. I am the Mixing Evil King, after all."

There was a small silence before a snort erupted from Stan. " _Mixing Evil King?_ Is that even power worthy?" He nudged Ari with his elbow.

"You should stop laughing and listen up, Stan," the evil king grinned again.

Immediately Stan was silenced. A slight panic settled over the Great Evil King's face as he and Ari simultaneously realized what the drink did.

"Now now, don't worry. Pending on how much you drink, it could take as little as an hour to wear off. Good thing I made it so potent. What was it you said you had? A sip? That will take at least a day. That's how it began with most of the fools in this town. All I had to do was tell them to enjoy more, and they fell right into my hands. And how about you?," the man turned to Ari. "How much did you drink? You passed out from it, so you must have had some."

Ari's face flushed despite the panic he was feeling. He _hadn't_ had any of it, but Stan just had before he...

"None! The boy had none! He just passed out from exhaustion! You're thinking way too highly of yourself!" Stan sputtered out, breaking free from the order given to him.

A strangely gleeful look glinted in the evil king's eyes. "Already resisting my powers? How wonderful, I'll just need to go and mix something a little more powerful. Better get you some too." The man patted Ari's head. Stan audibly growled as Ari flinched back.

A sudden loud thud from the other side of the wall caught the attention of everyone. Someone was banging on the bar counter and shouting. The innkeeper stepped around the door frame, disappearing for a few moments, before returning.

"A patron is asking to see the owner of the establishment, sir." The innkeeper stuttered.

"Oh? Another potential drunk slave for me? Very well, I shall return soon to convert these two as well. Make sure you close the door."

"Y-Yes sir!," the frightened man trembled as the evil king passed him. As he began to shut the door, Stan kicked his feet towards a loose stone on the floor. It managed to reach the door frame, but it ricocheted unsuccessfully off to the side. The door was shut and locked behind the innkeeper.

"Dammit! I hoped I could block the door!," Stan kicked his legs, but his ankles remained bound.

"Hey...," Ari began, thinking back to the kiss, but thought better of it, instead choosing to ask, "Why did you say I didn't drink any?"

"I figured he'd go make some for you if he thought you weren't under his influence." Stan spat at the ground, visibly disgusted that he had momentarily lost control from the earlier command. "You only had a mist at best, hopefully at least yours has worn off. He mixed that pretty well for me to not detect the magic in it."

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a bit. A tidbit from the conversation between the evil king and the angry patron caught Ari's attention.

"...missing spouses...here last...demand...back rooms..."

They were wanting to see the back rooms? Ari scooted forward on his bottom, dragging himself forward with his feet.

"What're you doing, slave?," Stan watched in confusion.

"I think whoever they're talking to wants to look at the store rooms. If we get their attention, we might get help!" Ari kicked at the wall with all his strength.

"As humiliating as a Great Evil King being rescued sounds, you might be on to something there. But it might be more effective to do this!"

Stan lurched forward from the wall, kicking at one of the barrels in front of him. It rattled as the alcohol inside sloshed around, the top clanging around the edges of the hole it was in. A sudden silence from the outer room indicating that they had been heard.

"See? There we go, now that angry patron will have the door unlocked for us. And then we can go kick that evil king's ass!," Stan smirked.

Rushed footsteps rounded their way to the door. The doorknob rattled, and then heavy kicks battered the door. Stan and Ari jumped when a blade slashed through the middle door panel, however.

"Oh hell no...," Stan's face paled.

The blade slashed down, cutting the door clean in half lengthwise. The right side remained locked, but the left side swung open on the hinges. Instead of being bathed in the darkness of a shadow from the door, a pink sheen filtered through.

"Rosalyn!," Ari cried.

"Huh? Is that you, Ari?," the heroine blinked, struggling to see through the dark.

"Yes! Please, untie us!"

" 'Us'? Who else...?," Rosalyn's eyes widened when she recognized Stan's form.

"STUPID EVIL KING?!"

"...Hello, washbowl woman," Stan replied in a monotone voice. "Long time, no see. _Thankfully."_

"Could you two squabble later? Rosalyn, cut us free before-" Ari was cut off as he noticed the form of the Mixing Evil King looming behind her. With a wicked grin, he yanked her parasol from her hand and broke it in half over his knee. Rosalyn let out a surprised cry as she dodged forward.

"You insolent scoundrel! How dare you grab me!"

"Pink shadow, I see. You must be the hero, Rosalyn! A pleasure to meet you!," the evil king gave a little bow before stepping into the room.

"Tch...as polite as you are, I can't say the feeling's mutual." Rosalyn lept towards Stand and Ari, cutting their bonds with her rapier. The two pulled their hands and ankles free of the rope, but the Mixing King didn't seem concerned.

"Come on, you two. We need to settle this missing citizens case!," Rosalyn turned back to the man, her blade ready.

Ari stood easily, but Stan wobbled as he stood, catching onto the wall to support himself.

"Dammit...that stuff still hasn't worn off? Bastard of an evil king...," Stan grit his teeth, but his wicked grin did not waver. "Fine, we'll just have to do this the hard was, won't we?"

The demon took a shaky step into the light cast by the open door and onto Ari's shadow. The boy shivered as the familiar feeling of Stan sinking down into his shadow swept over him. In the next instant, Stan's floppy shadow jumped from Ari's. He waggled his talon-like fingers mischievously.

"Now that feels better! Never thought I would say that though. Alright boy, if you want to start this off with some of my magic, you'll have to answer one of my questions correctly!"

"Stan, not this again, we really don't have the time!," Ari replied as he reached for his sword hidden underneath his vest.

"Too bad! Now tell me, what traits does the man who sweeps you off of your feet have?"

Ignoring the scandalous glances from Rosalyn, Ari paused, and answered," He'd be tall, dark, and devilishly handsome, I suppose."

"Oh? Confessing your love finally?"

"Nope, you wish. I'm just answering what I thought you'd like to hear. At least enough to cast Burning Devil on this evil king."

"Fair enough," the Great Evil King gave his jack-o'-lantern grin. A dark, fiery aura built up from the edges of his shadow. "Let's begin, then".

The aura surged forward and surrounded the evil king, blasting a hole through the wall in the process. Rosalyn blinked the dust out of her eyes, doing her best to ignore what Stan had said, ignore what _Ari_ had said. There would be time to be angry about that later.

The blast from the wall sent panicked bar patrons fleeing to the doors, along with the stumbling innkeeper. A few remained to gather in front of the inn, glancing curiously through the windows. It was no surprise that the Mixing Evil King rose from the rubble. The real surprise was his lack of injuries.

"Tsk tsk, little deviants. You'd be surprised how wonderfully dust can heal you, with a little magic mixed in, of course." He gestured to Stan, who flailed his arms in frustration.

"Are you serious?! Do you know what's probably in dust?! If we had the time, we could just defeat you with a bacterial infection!," Stan's face had a tint of red hot anger.

"Stanley, seriously! We do not have the time for your anger!," Rosalyn snapped. "If magic won't work, then blades it will have to be. Come on, Ari!"

Hesitantly, Ari stepped forward with Rosalyn, crossing their sword and rapier, and charged towards the grinning man. He raised his hands gracefully, in front of him, causing the rubble to rise in a block. It began to meld and smooth over, creating a shield in front of himself. Rosalyn cried out and skidded to a halt, sending Ari stumbling forward. With a squeak, his sword clanged against the concrete. The boy froze until Stan yanked him backwards by his jacket collar, just in time to avoid the rubble shield crumbling back on top of him.

"See that, cow thighs? Swords aren't too effective either," Stan gave his best smug grin. Rosalyn grit her teeth.

"Well, you weren't much better, spatula face!"

Ari sat as the two bickered over his head. How were they going to do this? This was only the first of the evil kings...

"Whoa whoa WHOA!," Stan lept back. Ari turned his head in the direction and had a similar reaction to Stan and now Rosalyn. Pieces of the concrete now circled the Mixing Evil King, blazing with Stan's previous Burning Devil magic.

"Like these? I enjoyed that magic so much earlier, I thought I'd save some."

"You can't do that! That's mine!," the Great Evil King spat.

"Too bad."

A rock shot itself towards the trio, splitting them apart as they dodged. Ari flung himself behind the bar, stiffening as one of the flaming rocks slammed against the counter.

"Look at all the damage you three have caused me. Once I defeat you, I'll have you drink my concoction again and rebuild."

"Not on your life, you miserable evil king! I thought I had seen the last of you when that idiot changed back from that!,' Rosalyn pointed to Ari and Stan.

"Oh? Then do I have some bad news for you, hero." The man smiled gleefully, as if he had the best news in the world to share.

"Don't tell me...," Rosalyn glanced at her two companions. "It has something to do with you two..." Ari glanced down while Stan put his hands on his hips.

"It might, but it's none of you business if it is!," the shadow replied.

A blinding flash from another of the flaming concrete pieces interrupted their conversation as everyone ducked away for cover again. Ari braced himself and Stan underneath the bar counter, covering his head as bottles of various alcohols rattled around them. The boy's shoes slipped in some that had leaked from a cracked bottle. The label on the glass caught his eye. Maybe this was the solution!

"Ari?," Stan watched as the boy grabbed the neck of the cracked bottle. He stood and threw the bottle at the Mixing Evil King. The man caught the bottle, displeased that the strong alcohol splashed onto his clothes.

"Stan, now! Burning Devil!," Ari pointed to the evil king. Stan's large yellow eyes widened as he realized what Ari was indicating, and he quickly cast the attack towards the man. The evil king's eyes too widened, but too late to counter the flames.

The alcohol ignited, and the Mixing Evil King vanished in a strange silvery mist before them, a few embers falling to the floor. The trio stared for a moment before Stan and Rosalyn turned to Ari.

"How...what?," Rosalyn began, yet she could not finish the sentence.

"That alcohol was about ninety proof. If Stan's attack didn't work like it had, the evil king would have used his reserve of Stan's magic and set himself on fire instead."

"And if that hadn't worked at all?," Stan asked.

"Uh...well...I hadn't thought about that. This was the only idea I had."

"Heh...hehehe...," Stan began laughing. "That's my boy for you! Thinking on your feet!"

" 'Your boy'?," Rosalyn whipped her head around. "What do you mean by that?"

"Uh...probably not a good time to explain that," Ari began.

Fire had spread from the embers that had fallen onto the floor. Drops of alcohol had led it to the bar. Soon, huge flames would be engulfing the room.

"We have to get out of here! Do you think everyone is out?!," Rosalyn glanced from one side of the room to the other.

"Everyone high-tailed it when our battle began, and no one else was staying in the upstairs rooms besides us at the time! We're fine!," Stan was pulling himself towards the door.

The three ran from the building, Ari crouching to grab his sword as they passed it. When they emerged into the large plaza outside the inn, they saw that no one was around. They could see glimpses of a large crowd through the narrow alleyway from which they had entered that early morning. Rosalyn slipped in first, followed by Ari. The last he saw of the inn, flames had begun bursting out the windows. Hopefully the other surrounding buildings would be okay. Rosalyn helped Ari out of the alley once she had stepped out. They finally took the chance to catch their breath, watching along with the crowd as the inn burned through the crack in the buildings.


End file.
